SABRES PROSPECTS REPORT

Fasching comes up short at Frozen Four; Petersen rolls in the USHL

SABRES PROSPECTS REPORTHudson Fasching scored a late goal Saturday but it wasn\'t enough as Minnesota was knocked off by Union 7-4 in the championship game of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men\'s Hockey Tournament.

Hudson Fasching scored a late goal Saturday but it wasn't enough as Minnesota was knocked off by Union 7-4 in the championship game of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Tournament.

The powerful winger was at the doorstep at 16:20 of the third period when he displayed good hand-eye coordination to bat the puck into the net and cut the deficit to 5-4 before Union would close it out with two late goals. The game ended in disappointment for the Gophers, but Fasching has a lot to look forward to following an impressive freshman season that saw him collect 14 goals and 30 points in 40 games to earn the team’s Rookie of the Year award.

USHLIn Saturday action, Connor Hurley (2013, second round) was a difference maker with a pair of goals and two assists to earn the game’s number one star as Green Bay evened the Eastern Conference Semifinal at a game apiece with a 6-5 victory over Indiana. The four-point outburst, Hurley's second of his 2013-14 season, gives the Notre Dame commit the hot hand with the series shifting back to Green Bay on Thursday. The rookie center went without a point in the Gamblers’ 2-0 loss on Friday to open the best-of-five round.

Cal Petersen (2013, fifth round) posted a pair of victories over the weekend as Waterloo got out to a commanding two-game lead in their opening round series with Sioux Falls. Petersen stopped 25 of 29 shots Friday as the Black Hawks skated to a 7-4 win over the Stampede. He returned to the net Saturday, making another 25 saves as the Black Hawks earned a 6-3 victory in Game 2. Petersen entered the playoffs with 27 wins (t-1st in league), a 2.50 GAA (6th) and .915 save% (8th) in 38 regular season appearances. Game 3 set for Thursday in Sioux Falls.

Judd Peterson (2012, seventh round) was unable to point for the second straight night as Cedar Rapids broke a tie in the final minute of regulation to edge Dubuque 6-5 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal. Peterson has produced five shots on goal through the first two games for the Roughriders, who head to Dubuque on Friday locked in a 1-1 series tie with the Fighting Saints.

OHLNikita Zadorov (2013, first round) and the London Knights were bounced from the playoffs Friday with a 5-4 loss to Guelph in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinal. The defensive stalwart logged major minutes all series for the injury-depleted Knights’ defensive corps, but the talented Storm forwards applied constant pressure to earn the right to advance. Zadorov concludes his postseason with four goals and nine points in nine contests for London, who now gets a long break before hosting the 2014 Memorial Cup. The Knights open the festivities on Friday, May 16 against the QMJHL representative.

London defenseman Brady Austin (2012, seventh round) did not play in the semifinal round versus Guelph after being diagnosed with mononucleosis. The 20-year old contributed three points (1+2) and a plus-seven rating in four playoff tilts before falling ill.

QMJHLWilliam Carrier saw his season come to an end Sunday as Drummondville was eliminated from the postseason with a 3-2 loss to Val-d’Or. Carrier, who had been nursing a lower body injury since the Voltigeurs’ opening round victory over Victoriaville, produced one assist while appearing in just two of the six games in the quarterfinal tilt. The 19-year old finished the playoffs with four points (1+3) in four games.

For more on all the youngsters in the Sabres pipeline, check out Kris Baker’s web site - sabresprospects.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @sabresprospects for in-game updates throughout the week on any Buffalo prospects that are in action.